The 76ers are bringing guard Cam Payne back to Philly as a pickup off the buyout market, a source confirmed Monday. The deal was first reported by SteinLine’s Marc Stein.
Partizan Belgrade in Serbia announced Payne’s departure on social media, sharing a post that revealed his $1.75 million buyout. The Sixers can contribute only $875,000 to his release, Stein reports.
Payne played with the Sixers in 2024 and averaged 9.3 points and 3.1 assists in 31 games. Team president Daryl Morey traded Patrick Beverley to Milwaukee in exchange for Payne and a second-rounder before the 2024 trade deadline.
He served as a bench spark plug and offensive boost behind Tyrese Maxey. Payne, 31, should be expected to take on a similar role after the Sixers traded second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder before the NBA trade deadline.
A 10-year NBA veteran, Payne also has played for the Thunder, Bulls, Cavaliers, Suns, Bucks, and Knicks.
The move strengthens a position the Sixers considered one of their strong points entering the season. With Maxey, McCain, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes in the backcourt to start the season, the Sixers expected their backcourt to carry them as stars Joel Embiid and Paul George rounded into form. Both players ended up being ahead of schedule as Embiid morphed back into All-Star form and George provided a steady hand as a key defender and ballhandler.
But with George suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy and McCain with the Thunder, the Sixers need reinforcements for the stretch run after All-Star break. Payne could provide that in short spurts.
WASHINGTON — Tre’ Johnson, the former standout Washington offensive lineman who went on to become a Maryland high school history teacher, died Sunday. He was 54.
“It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that my husband, Tre’ Johnson, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly … during a brief family trip,” she wrote. ”His four children, Chloe, EJ, EZ and Eden, extended family, friends, and I are devastated and in shock.”
After starring at Temple, Johnson was drafted by Washington 31st overall in 1994. He played for Washington through 2000, spent 2001 with Cleveland and returned to Washington for a final year in 2002. The 6-foot-2, 328-pound guard was a Pro Bowl selection in 1999.
After football, he became a history teacher at the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland. His wife said recent health issues had forced him to take a leave of absence.
LOS ANGELES — While strolling through the NBA Crossover fan extravaganza inside the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday afternoon, a young man wearing a Cooper Flagg Duke jersey suddenly realized the NBA player with whom he had randomly crossed paths.
“That’s Tyrese Maxey!” the fan excitedly told his companion.
That moment illustrated how Maxey’s popularity has ballooned beyond Philly, where he has long been beloved while rapidly ascending into a 76ers cornerstone and two-time All-Star. Before stepping inside Intuit Dome on Sunday afternoon, Maxey had already received the fourth-highest total of All-Star fan votes and was named an Eastern Conference starter for this weekend’s main event. And that status as one of league’s up-and-coming faces was showcased throughout the celebratory weekend, culminating with Maxey’s nine points and three steals for the “young and turnt” Team Stars’ victory over Team Stripes in the championship game of a surprisingly competitive round-robin tournament.
“I feel a lot less out of place,” Maxey said when asked about how this weekend felt different from his first All-Star appearance in 2024. “[Two years ago, I] was nervous. It’s your first time. You don’t know when to talk, when not to talk. Now I walk into the locker room of my team, I was the second-oldest [at 25].
“I played against those guys growing up as kids, and it was really fun to be in the locker room.”
Maxey’s widespread prominence is perhaps unsurprising, given his combination of statistical production, playing style and personality.
His numbers place him in the MVP conversation, coming out of the All-Star break ranking sixth in the NBA in scoring (28.9 points per game) while adding 6.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.0 steals. He plays an aesthetically pleasing brand of basketball for diehards and casuals alike, as a speedy guard who explodes to the basket, launches from three-point range, and has become a legitimate defensive disruptor. And he regularly flashes a grin even in the heat of competition.
Tyrese Maxey participated in the three-point contest and made his second All-Star Game appearance.
The “That’s Tyrese Maxey” whispers — or exclamations — continued as he moved through the convention center on Friday. One fan who recognized him was wearing a LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers shirt. Another was in Boston Celtics green. Others waited in line to meet Maxey inside an Xfinity pop-up digital experience — where his face was displayed all over the exterior — or as he signed blue Sixers jerseys inside a DoorDash booth.
Back at the Intuit Dome, Maxey was on a parking garage billboard also featuring San Antonio Spurs global superstar Victor Wembanyama. And during Saturday’s media day, Maxey was assigned to a formal news conference room — which are typically reserved for the most in-demand players — instead of the mixed-zone scrums.
As Maxey walked into the standing-room-only crowd, he uttered, “Wow.”
“I don’t want to trip and fall,” Maxey said, walking across the stage, “and embarrass myself with all these people here.”
Maxey first noticed his popularity had extended beyond Sixers supporters around his fourth NBA season, when he was so stunned to see his jersey in places besides Philly and his hometown of Dallas that he called his mother, Denyse. (His jersey sales this season ranked 10th in the NBA as of last month, the league announced.) And when informed last month that he had received more All-Star fan votes than any American player — yes, even topping all-time greats James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant — he was taken aback.
“Oh, thanks fellow Americans!” Maxey said, leaning back in his locker-room chair. “Appreciate y’all, man. That’s love.”
It is all quite the rise since Maxey trained in Los Angeles in preparation for the 2020 NBA draft, when the Sixers took him 21st overall.
Tyrese Maxey has come a long way from the surprising rookie who burst onto the scene in 2020.
He seized the opportunity when thrust into the starting point guard job during Ben Simmons’ 2021-22 holdout. He won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award in 2023, then became a first-time All-Star the following season. He thrived as former MVP Joel Embiid’s two-man partner. He further boosted himself on a big stage with a masterful 46-point performance at Madison Square Garden in Game 5 of the Sixers’ 2024 first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks.
As an All-Star newbie in 2024, Maxey appreciated getting to know players from other teams in a laid-back environment. This year, he felt a sense of familiarity with Team Stars, which was also made up of All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards along with Scottie Barnes, Devin Booker, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Johnson. He sat courtside as Sixers teammate VJ Edgecombe won Rising Stars MVP on Friday night, then participated in Saturday’s three-point contest for the first time.
When Holmgren, a first-time All-Star, asked Maxey for advice on what to expect Sunday, he compared it to the McDonald’s High School All American Game.
“You don’t want nobody to have bragging rights on you,” Maxey said. “That’s how I feel about it.”
Maxey finished Team Stars’ overtime victory over Team World with four points, three rebounds, and two assists — and a tone-setting hustle play when he saved a ball from going out of bounds by throwing it backward over his head. He added two points in his team’s loss in its first matchup against Team Stripes, which also came down to the last shot.
In the championship rematch, Maxey took Durant off the dribble for a layup, then stole the inbounds pass and buried a three-pointer. Later, he blew past James for another finish and collected a steal and a dish to Barnes for a breakaway dunk.
“I want to play it like a real game, anyway,” Maxey said. “It’s better for me.”
Tyrese Maxey is one of the game’s most popular young American stars.
Maxey arrived for his postgame media session carrying a fancy box holding his All-Star ring which, when opened, also played a video of his highlights. He was ready to get some rest during the next few days before the regular-season’s stretch run for a Sixers team in sixth place in the East standings.
But this weekend, he lived up to his status as a leader of the NBA’s “young and turnt” American stars — and one of the up-and-coming faces of the league as a whole.
“I definitely think that we are ready to try to step it forward,” Maxey said. “We had a lot of guys in that locker room that are ready to take the next step.”
Scenes from the Phillies first full spring training workout
// Timestamp 02/16/26 2:02pm
‘He’s getting there’: Zach Wheeler continues recovery from blood clot
Zack Wheeler threw out to 120 feet for the first time today. Rob Thomson said he doesn't know yet when Wheeler will get back on a mound, but "he's getting there."
The surprising things Phillies players brought with them to spring training
// Timestamp 02/16/26 12:17pm
Spring training photos: Phillies first full-squad workout
BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla. ahead of the Phillies’ first full-squad workout. Bryce Harper works with new bench coach Don Mattingly. Kyle Schwarber takes some swings during batting practice. The Phillies’ first spring training game is Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Top pitching prospect Andrew Painter will be under no limitations this spring as he competes for a spot in the Phillies’ rotation. He is set to appear in Grapefruit League games for the first time since prior to his ulnar collateral ligament injury and subsequent Tommy John elbow surgery in 2023.
“I’m sure he’s excited. It’s really the first full year where he’s completely healthy, and where he’s got everything back,” Thomson said. “And when I’m talking about everything, I’m talking about stuff, combined with command and control. So I think he’s really excited. I would think so. I’m excited for him, because I’m thinking he’s really going to be a big piece for us.”
Mike Trout talks position change, being prevented from playing in World Baseball Classic
Mike Trout wants to move back to center field this season.
Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout plans to be back in center field this season, he told reporters Monday at the team’s spring training complex in Tempe, Ariz.
Trout moved to right field last season in an attempt to keep the 34-year-old South Jersey native healthy, but in April he was sidelined for a month by a bone bruise and finished out the year as a designated hitter.
Mike Trout says he is playing center field again. He said playing right wasn’t comfortable and he felt like it was more running.
Also said he feels good about where his swing is. He finished last season on a hot streak.
Trout played 130 games last season, the most since 2019. But Angles general manager Perry Minasian signaled back in December he’d be open to Trout returning to center field.
“I’m not ruling anything out,” Minasian said, according to MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger. “We’ll see where the team looks like when we get to Spring Training and what’s in place and what gives us the best chance to win games. Might be playing center. One day might be playing left. One day might be DHing. I don’t know.”
Trout also told reporters he wanted to play in this year’s World Baseball Classic, but was prevented due to insurance issues related to his 12-year, $426.5 million contract with the Angels that runs through the 2030 season.
Essentially, Trout couldn’t find insurance coverage to cover the roughly $37 million he’s owed this season if he were to be injured during the global baseball tournament.
Mike Trout says he’ll move back to playing CF this year. He also wanted to play in the WBC but insurance prevented him from playing, calling it disappointing
They also sent lefty Matt Strahm to the Royals for Jonathan Bowlan in a reliever swap. And they added bullpen depth with Zach McCambley (Rule 5 draft), lefty Kyle Backhus (trade with Arizona), Yoniel Curet (trade with Tampa Bay), Chase Shugart (trade with Pittsburgh), and Zach Pop (free agent).
So which new Phillies is most intriguing for 2026?
Lauber: Does Justin Crawford count as “new?” Oh, OK, we’ll get to him later. In that case, García. In 2023, he hit 39 homers, got down-ballot MVP votes, and dominated the postseason for the World Series champion Rangers. The Phillies bet on bouncebacks last year from Max Kepler and Jordan Romano and went bust. Will their latest free-agent gamble work out better?
March: Keller. The right-hander had been a starter for most of his career before his breakout season last year as a high-leverage reliever for the Cubs, and he has retained his starter’s arsenal of four-seam, sinker, slider, changeup, and sweeper. That, plus a jump of over 3 mph on his fastball in 2025, makes him an intriguing back-end option in the Phillies’ bullpen.
Which Phillies players to watch at spring training
All eyes will be on prospect Justin Crawford during spring training.
What’s the Phillies’ biggest roster decision?
Lauber: Although the decision to commit to Justin Crawford was made early in the offseason, it’s about to play out in real time. At 22, he would be the youngest outfielder to make a Phillies opening-day roster since Greg Luzinski and Mike Anderson in 1973. As the Phillies turn over the keys to center field, Crawford will be at the center of attention.
March: The Phillies stocked up on potential bullpen depth this winter, making a host of minor league deals, a few trades, and a Rule 5 selection of Zach McCambley. Six reliever spots are likely spoken for, barring injury: lefties José Alvarado and Tanner Banks, and righties Jhoan Duran, Brad Keller, Orion Kerkering, and Jonathan Bowlan. There will be some stiff competition for the final two spots.
Which prospect should fans look out for?
Lauber: As you watch Crawford and Andrew Painter, don’t take your eyes off Aidan Miller. The Phillies intend to expose the 22-year-old shortstop to third base in spring training, but it will be interesting to see how much third he actually plays — and how fast they push him if he starts hot in triple A and/or Alec Bohm falters again in April.
March: Gabriel Rincones Jr. made a big impression last spring with a couple of towering home runs. The outfielder was added to the Phillies’ 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft, and he could get a major league look at some point in 2026. Rincones, who will be 25 next month, struggles against left-handed pitching, so any opportunity would likely be in a strict platoon. But he has some big power potential against righties.
A clean-shaven Nick Castellanos, dressed in a brown Padres hoodie, made his first public comments Sunday after signing a one-year deal with San Diego.
The former Phillies outfielder, who was released by the organization on Thursday, met with the media at the Padres’ spring training complex in Peoria, Ariz. He also spent time taking reps at first base. He is expected to see time there as the Padres already have an All-Star rightfielder in Fernando Tatis Jr.
Castellanos told reporters Sunday he “had a good idea” he would not be back with the Phillies following their exit in the National League Division Series. This winter, the Phillies repeatedly expressed interest in finding a change of scenery for Castellanos after he developed friction with manager Rob Thomson.
After his release, Castellanos posted a letter on Instagram thanking members of the organization and explaining the “Miami Incident.” During the eighth inning of a June 16 game in Miami, Castellanos said he brought a beer into the dugout after Thomson replaced him for defensive purposes. He was benched for the following game as punishment.
In his letter, Castellanos wrote that he “will learn from” the incident.
“I think [what] I said I will learn from this is I guess just letting my emotions get the best of me in a moment,” he said Sunday. “Possibly if I see things that frustrate me or I don’t believe are conducive to winning, to speak up instead of letting things just pile up over time and pile up over time and finally when I address it, it’s less emotional.”
Bryce Harper responds to Phillies exec ahead of Spring Training
Bryce Harper fist-bumps Phillies teammates Sunday ahead of the team’s workout in Clearwater, Fla.
Bryce Harper touched down in Phillies camp, pulled on a black T-shirt — no, not the black T-shirt that went viral over the holidays — and summarized one of the weirdest weeks in an offseason of his career.
“For Dave [Dombrowski] to come out and say those things,“ Harper said, ”it’s kind of wild to me still.”
Key word: Still. Because this was Sunday, 122 days after the Phillies’ highest-ranking baseball official gave a 90-second answer 34 minutes into a 54-minute news conference about whether Harper’s good-but-not-great 2025 season was a one-off or the start of a downward trend.
Pardon the rehashed sound bite, but well, here goes: “Of course he’s still a quality player,” Dombrowski said, “still an All-Star-caliber player. He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past. And I guess we only find out if he becomes elite [again], or if he continues to be good.”
Cue the hysteria, fomented by sports-talk radio and social media. And a candid answer to a good question exploded into unfounded speculation that the Phillies would consider trading Harper. (For what it’s worth, John Middleton is clear about wanting Harper to go into the Hall of Fame with a “P” on his plaque.)
Harper is self-aware. He wasn’t satisfied with last season. There were factors, including an inflamed right wrist that caused him to miss 22 games. But he also swung at a career-high rate of pitches out of the zone, a problem given that Harper saw fewer strikes than any hitter in baseball. He also delivered fewer hits in the clutch than ever before.
“Obviously,” he said after digesting it for four months, “not the best year of my career.”
But the substance of Dombrowski’s comments didn’t bother Harper as much as the forum.
“The big thing for me was, when we first met with this organization [in 2019] it was, ‘Hey, we’re always going to keep things in-house, and we expect you to do the same thing,’” Harper said. “So, when that didn’t happen, it kind of took me for a run a little bit. I don’t know.
“It’s kind of a wild situation, that even happening.”
Pitcher Taijuan Walker looks on while wearing his hat backward Sunday. Pitcher Cristopher Sanchez on the mound as palm trees swerve in the background. Brandon Marsh shares a laugh during spring training workouts Thursday. Pitcher Zack Wheeler warms up last week. Phillies manager Rob Thomson looks on during spring training workouts.
Tom McCarthy is entering his 19th season as the TV voice of the Phillies.
NBC Sports Philadelphia will once again broadcast 12 Phillies spring training games in 2026 — 10 on the main channel and two on NBC Sports Philadelphia+.
The network’s TV schedule kicks off Sunday with the Phillies’ afternoon matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla., where the team has played spring ball for 78 years.
The Phillies March 4 exhibition game against Canada ahead of the World Basball classic will also air on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
In addition, a handful of spring training games will stream live on the Phillies’ website.
Here are all the Phillies spring training games airing on NBC Sports Philadelphia:
Sunday vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP)
Feb. 25 vs Detroit Tigers, 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP)
Feb. 27 vs. Florida Marlins (split squad), 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP)
March 1 vs. New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP)
March 4 vs. Canada, 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP)
March 5 vs. Boston Red Sox, 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP+)
March 8 at Minnesota Twins, 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP)
March 10 vs. New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP)
March 13 vs. Baltimore Orioles, 1:05 p.m. (NBCSP+)
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Sometimes, you don’t have to hear Andre Blake speak to know what’s on his mind.
You can tell from looking at eyes that have seen more Union games than any other player. From hands that have stopped more shots than any goalkeeper should have to, and let more by than any goalkeeper would want to. From feet that have stood by nets across the United States, the continent, and beyond.
You also don’t have to be a Union fan or a Jamaica fan to share the question that resonates so deeply with the 35-year-old, as he begins his 13thseason with the only professional team of his career.
Why has Blake been denied, time and again, the privilege of reaching the twin peaks he so deeply craves: winning an MLS Cup with his club and qualifying for the World Cup with his country?
Andre Blake suffered an injury during last year’s playoff loss to New York City FC.
The soccer gods can be cruel, and they have forced Blake to suffer. Yes, he has won two Supporters’ Shield titles, but all of his playoff runs — and his U.S. Open Cup runs, Leagues Cup runs, and Concacaf Champions Cup runs — have ended in defeat, often heartbreak, and most often out of his control.
With Jamaica, the pain cuts especially deep right now. If the failures of past World Cup qualifying campaigns, Gold Cups, and Concacaf Nations Leagues weren’t hard enough, this moment seems almost unfair.
The Reggae Boyz entered the last night of qualifying needing a win at home over Curaçao. But they were held to a scoreless tie, with Blake stuck at the other end of the field from his misfiring teammates. Curaçao took the berth and sent Jamaica to next month’s intercontinental playoffs.
Up the hill and knocked back down, again and again.
Curaçao players celebrating in Jamaica’s stadium after qualifying for the World Cup at the Reggae Boyz’ expense.
‘We need silverware’
“I felt like we were so close again,” Blake said of the Union falling short last year. “We had it — had it where we wanted it to be. But that’s just soccer. Single-elimination games can go either way.”
“I really thought that last year would have been it, knowing that MLS Cup would have been in Philly, but it didn’t happen,” Blake said. “But we just use that as motivation, as experience for us to know that we were that close. And just use that to give us confidence to know that hopefully this year we can go one or two steps closer and win the whole thing.”
Will the stars finally align this year? That’s not how this works, in either Chester or Kingston, and Blake knows as well as anyone. But he’s ready to go once more.
Andre Blake has won two Supporters’ Shields with the Union, but nothing more so far.
“Pretty simple for me: My personal goal is to be better than I was last year,” he said. “That’s always my challenge, to be a better version of myself. And for the team, it’s always the same as well: We need silverware. And the ultimate one is the MLS Cup, so that’s got to be the goal.”
The present moment proves it again. With Jakob Glesnes, Kai Wagner, Mikael Uhre, and Tai Baribo gone, this Union team feels like the start of a new era. As captain, Blake must help set the tone as newcomers blend in with returnees.
“It feels new,” Blake said. “That’s the obvious [part]. But I’ve learned to control what I can control, which is my performance. And whoever is here, the goal is to get the best out of everybody.”
Andre Blake (left) working out at the start of the Union’s preseason.
For now, he continued, his aim is to “just focus on the positives, and positives are whoever is in this room. That’s what we have, and that’s what we have to work with and make the most of.”
‘Everybody starts at zero’
Considering Blake’s history of criticizing the Union for a lack of ambition, what he said next might please the highest-ups — especially as he goes into the last guaranteed year of his contract.
“It’s a new season, everybody starts at zero,” he said. “So I think it’s only fair to judge the season after the season, and not before the season. We have what we have right now, we’re going to do our best, and at the end of the year, we’ll evaluate and see how it was.”
This team doesn’t seem to have the firepower to beat MLS’s best — Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, Son Heung-Min’s Los Angeles FC, and Thomas Müller’s Vancouver Whitecaps — in the games that matter most. But it has made substantive moves to replace the players it cast off, signing center backs Japhet Sery Larsen and Geiner Martínez and forwards Ezekiel Alladoh and Agustín Anello.
The Union broke their transfer fee record to sign Ezekiel Alladoh.
Sery Larsen could be especially impactful for Blake because of his track record of leadership at past clubs.
“The most important thing coming into a new team is just the willingness to learn and to adapt, and to listen,” Blake said. “I think he came in with an open mind. He wants to learn, he’s willing to do the work.”
The new group must build chemistry fast. The MLS season starts at D.C. United on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV), and the overall campaign starts Wednesday in the Concacaf Champions Cup at Defence Force FC in Trinidad.
“The Champions Cup is always a different challenge,” Blake said. “Obviously, it’s a reward to be playing in that tournament. And yeah, the first game against Defence Force — for me, these days, there’s no easy game in soccer. You have to be ready to play, mentally and physically.”
If the Union win the two-game series against Defence Force as they should, the climb will get steep fast. Not only will they face Mexican superpower Club América next, but they’ll face playing nine games from Feb. 18-March 21.
The Union could face Club América in the Concacaf Champions Cup for the first time since the 2021 semifinals.
“Not looking past that game, but after that it gets pretty tough,” Blake said. “We’ll prepare accordingly, and we’ll approach every game in a professional manner.”
‘Very angry’ about Jamaica’s struggles
Now to the subject Blake rarely enjoys discussing, but he knows he must.
The intercontinental playoffs are five weeks from now. Jamaica will play New Caledonia in the semifinal, then the winner will play the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Both games will be at Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron, a World Cup venue this summer.
That task is not fully on Blake’s mind yet with so much to do before then. But it is still a presence, along with emotions from last fall that still simmer.
“It’s been very tough for me these last couple months,” Blake said. “When you kind of invest so much into something and it doesn’t go the way you want it to go, it can get you, and that’s just kind of the phase I’m in right now as it relates to the national team.”
The words came mixed with stretches of silence that were equally piercing.
“It’s just trying to still process what really happened,” Blake said. “But when the time is right, I’ll do whatever I have to do, and I’ll be ready to go again.”
He will play for the seventh manager of his national team tenure, Rudolph Speid, as famed veteran Steve McClaren resigned after the Curaçao game. The players have not changed, though, including big names like Leon Bailey and Michail Antonio.
It’s on them to deliver.
Jamaica has one last chance to qualify for this year’s World Cup, through FIFA’s intercontinental playoffs in March. Hockey great Wayne Gretzky was at the World Cup draw.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone [since] after we left camp, so I don’t know what the vibe [is],” Blake said. “I know I’m very angry. I can only speak for myself, because I feel like we had an opportunity — a big, big opportunity — and we let ourselves down as players, And yeah, that’s just how I feel. I feel like it should have never gone that way.”
He ran through a series of questions he asks himself about preparation, execution, effort, and controlling the controllable. They brought him back to a repeated answer.
“I just feel like as players we let ourselves down,” he said, “and that’s what made me so angry.”
The Reggae Boyz haven’t made a World Cup since 1998, and ending the drought in North America would be even sweeter. It cheers him up to know how many people are rooting for him in Philadelphia, across MLS, and worldwide.
Jamaica is looking for its first berth in the FIFA World Cup since the 1998 edition in France.
“I believe so,” he said. “At the end of the day I can still hold my head high. You can lose a game, you can not accomplish something, but it’s just how, if you give it your all — you did all you could, you left no stones unturned — and then you lose a game, then you can accept that, you know?”
It’s a message he takes home to a family that enjoys calling Philadelphia home, and that four months ago welcomed a third child — a first daughter.
“For me, whenever I go out there, I always try to make, my family, my fans, myself proud by leaving it all on the field,” he said. “So even if you don’t really accomplish what you want, it’s not going to feel good, but you can still be proud.”
At that point, two more questions remained. Will this finally be his year? And if not now, will it ever?
U.S. women’s hockey highlights Day 10 of the Milan Cortina Olympics, with dominant Team USA facing Sweden in the semifinals.
How dominant? In five games, the U.S. women’s team is undefeated, has outscored its opponents 26-1, and blanked Italy, 6-0, in the quarterfinals. Hilary Knight could also set a new Team USA points record on Monday — she’s tied with former teammate Jenny Potter with 32 career Olympic points (11 goals, 21 assists).
U.S. vs. Sweden is scheduled to begin at 10:40 a.m. Philadelphia time, live on NBC. It will be followed by Canada vs. Switzerland in the second semifinal, which is scheduled to get underway at 3:10 p.m.
The two winners will face off in the gold medal game on Thursday at 1:10 p.m., while the two losers will play for bronze Thursday at 8:40 a.m.
The U.S. and Canada have faced off in the women’s ice hockey gold medal game in six of the seven Olympics featuring the sport. Team USA has won twice — 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Sweden sneaked in and won silver in 2006 in Turin, Italy.
In other Olympics action Monday:
Three U.S. bobsledders — Elana Meyers Taylor, Kaysha Love, and defending gold medalist Kaillie Humphries — could be racing for gold in the women’s monobob. The third run begins at 1 p.m., while the final run will start at 3:30 p.m., both set to air live on NBC.
Freestyle skier Eileen Gu, a San Francisco native who competes for China (her mother’s native country) will defend her 2022 gold medal in the women’s big air live at 1:30 p.m. on NBC. She won the silver medal in the slopestyle competition.
U.S. speedskater Kristen Santos-Griswold will challenge two-time Olympic medalist Courtney Sarault of Canada in the women’s short track 1,000 meters, live at 5 a.m. on USA Network and running again at 10 a.m. on NBC.
Monday’s Olympic TV schedule
As a general rule, our schedules include all live broadcasts on TV, but not tape-delayed broadcasts on cable channels. We’ll let you know what’s on NBC’s broadcasts, whether they’re live or not.
NBC
10 a.m.: Speedskating — Women’s short track 1,000-meter final (tape-delayed)
10:40 a.m.: Women’s ice hockey — U.S. vs. Sweden, semifinal
1 p.m.: Bobsled — Women’s monobob third run
1:30 p.m.: Freestyle skiing — Women’s big air final
2:45 p.m.: Alpine skiing — Men’s slalom, first and final runs
3:30 p.m.: Bobsled — Women’s monobob final run
4 p.m.: Figure skating — Pairs free skate
8 p.m.: Prime-time highlights including freestyle skiing, figure skating, and more.
11:35 p.m.: Late night highlights including Alpine skiing, bobsled, and more.
USA Network
5 a.m.: Speedskating — Women’s short track 1,000-meter preliminaries and final, men’s short track relay semifinal, and men’s 500-meter short track qualifying
7:30 a.m.: Alpine skiing — Men’s slalom final
8:45 a.m.: Bobsled — Two-man, second run
2 p.m.: Figure skating — Pairs free skate
3:10 p.m.: Women’s ice hockey — Canada vs. Switzerland, semifinal
How to watch the Olympics on TV and stream online
NBC’s TV coverage will have live events from noon to 5 p.m. Philadelphia time on weekdays and starting in the mornings on the weekends. There’s a six-hour time difference between Italy and here. The traditional prime-time coverage will have highlights of the day and storytelling features.
As far as the TV channels, the Olympics are airing on NBC, USA, CNBC, and NBCSN. Spanish coverage can be found on Telemundo and Universo.
NBCSN is carrying the Gold Zone whip-around show that was so popular during the Summer Olympics in 2024, with hosts including Scott Hanson of NFL RedZone. It used to be just on Peacock, NBC’s online streaming service, but now is on TV, too.
Every event is available to stream live on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. You’ll have to log in with your pay-TV provider, whether cable, satellite, or streaming platforms including YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV.
On Peacock, the events are on the platform’s premium subscription tier, which starts at $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.
J.T. Realmuto just started his eighth spring training with the Phillies. But for a week in January, he wasn’t sure he’d be back. Realmuto sits down with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss his roller-coaster offseason contract talks, the release of Nick Castellanos, his outlook for the 2026 starting rotation, and more. Watch here:
The Union are set to begin their 2026 season on Wednesday with a Concacaf Champions Cup match at Defence Force F.C. in Port of Spain, Trinidad (6 p.m., FS2).
Less than three months removed from their 2025 campaign, the team will look different from the squad that captured Major League Soccer’s Supporters’ Shield last season, and not just because the team has new home jerseys.
It was a busy offseason for Bradley Carnell’s side, which set a high standard for itself with last season’s campaign. Here’s everything you need to know about the Union before they open the season:
The Union also declined contract options for Chris Donovan, Isaiah LeFlore, Nicholas Pariano, and Oliver Semmle.
Who are the new players suiting up for the Union?
The Union made a few significant acquisitions in the transfer market this winter. The most expensive was the acquisition of Ezekiel Alladoh from Swedish club IF Brommapojkarna. The forward cost the Union $4.5 million, the most the club has ever spent on an individual transfer. Alladoh, 20, is a Ghanaian national who will be under contract with the Union through 2028, with club options in 2029 and 2030.
The arrival of Japhet Sery Larsen, seen during a preseason game in Spain last month, is expected to fill the loss of Jakob Glesnes on the Union’s back line.
Club captain Alejandro Bedoya re-signed with the Union this offseason. Bedoya, who also holds a role in the club’s front office, will suit up for his 11th season in Philadelphia.
The Union also exercised a contract option for Nathan Harriel, retaining the homegrown right back for his sixth season with the club.
What are the highlights of this year’s MLS schedule?
The Union will play a 34-match MLS schedule, starting with a match at D.C. United on Feb. 21. The Union will play each Eastern Conference opponent twice, home and away, and six Western Conference opponents.
Midfielder Danley Jean Jacques (right) and the Union open their Major League Soccer season against I-95 rival D.C. United on Feb. 21.
The Union’s first MLS game at home will be against New York City FC on March 1. NYCFC eliminated the Union from the playoffs last season with a 1-0 win at Subaru Park in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Carnell’s team will host the San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, and Real Salt Lake as Western Conference opponents and will travel to Austin FC, San Diego FC, and Sporting Kansas City. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami team will visit Subaru Park on Aug. 19, and the Union will host rival Red Bull New York on July 22.
What’s new at Subaru Park this season?
The home of the Union got some upgrades in the offseason and will get another renovation when the MLS breaks for the World Cup this summer. The Union installed new theatric sport lighting in the stadium that will bring some extra flair to the club’s night games.
The Union have a new concessions partner in locally based Aramark, which will give patrons at Subaru Park new food and beverage options. Union president Tim McDermott said in an interview on the team’s YouTube channel that the concourses of Subaru Park will look different when the club returns after the World Cup.
Union president Tim McDermott said that the team plans to make alterations to the concourses at Subaru Park during the nearly two-month break for the FIFA World Cup.
“Coming out of that World Cup break, when you walk into Subaru Park, the concourse is going to look massively different,” McDermott said. “Just with new food and beverage offerings, the esthetics, et cetera.”
In addition to the 34 regular-season MLS games the Union will have on their calendar, they also will compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
The competition is a 27-team tournament that features the top club teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The Union qualified for the Champions Cup by finishing atop the MLS regular-season standings. The other MLS qualifiers for the tournament are Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, FC Cincinnati, LA Galaxy, the Seattle Sounders, Nashville SC, and San Diego FC.
Winning MLS’s Supporters’ Shield last season earned the Union a berth in this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
The Union will face Defence Force FC in a two-match series decided on aggregate score in the first round of the tournament. After their match in Trinidad, the Union will host Defence Force for the second leg on Feb. 26.
If the Union advance past Defence Force FC, they will face Liga MX’s Club América in the round of 16. The tournament final will be played on May 30.
The Union’s most recent result in the Champions Cup was a round of 16 loss to Pachuca in 2024.
Will the Union be in the Leagues Cup?
Yes. By qualifying for the playoffs last season, the Union secured a spot in MLS’s Leagues Cup, which features 18 teams from MLS and 18 teams from Liga MX.
The Union do not know their opponent in the competition or the date of their first match, but the competition is set to begin on Aug. 4. The 2026 Leagues Cup final will be on Sept. 6.
The Union’s best result in the Leagues Cup was a third-place finish in 2023. The top three teams from the Leagues Cup gain entry to the following season’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
Midfielder Jesús Bueno (right) and the Union will appear in MLS’s Leagues Cup tournament for the first time since the 2024 season.
Will the Union play in the 2026 U.S. Open Cup?
No. Because they are participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Union are exempt from playing in the U.S. Open Cup this season. The U.S. Open Cup is an open tournament featuring teams from across all levels of the U.S. Soccer.
The MLS limited its clubs’ participation in the tournament to 16 teams in 2025. Teams that do not qualify for other cup competitions are given priority in entering the U.S. Open Cup, and teams participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup are exempt. The Union reached the semifinal of last year’s tournament before losing to eventual champion Nashville SC, 3-1.
Will the MLS season pause for the World Cup?
Yes. This season’s MLS schedule includes a seven-week break for the FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The league will stop play on May 26 and resume on July 16. The World Cup will begin on June 11 and conclude on July 19.
Lincoln Financial Field is one of 16 host venues for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
The Union will play their last match before the break at Miami’s new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, on May 24. They will host Red Bull New York in their first match after the break on July 22.
This will be the last season MLS uses its current calendar. The league is switching to a summer-to-spring schedule ahead of the 2027-28 season, which will align its schedule with many of the top leagues internationally.
How can I watch the Union?
The Union’s MLS games will be available to all Apple TV subscribers. Before this season, Apple TV users had to subscribe to the additional MLS Season Pass to gain access to all MLS games, but the league and its broadcast partner did away with the extra paywall in November.
Major League Soccer announced the suspension of its subscription-only MLS Season Pass, noting that every game will instead be televised by the regular version of Apple TV.
The Union also have three games that will be televised by Fox networks. The team’s match at Atlanta United on March 14 will be on Fox, as will the Union’s game at Inter Miami on May 24. The Union have one game this season being televised by Fox Sports 1, a clash with FC Cincinnati at Subaru Park on Sept. 9.
Yes, Bryce Harper says, he was irked in October when Dave Dombrowski said this about him: “He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past. And I guess we only find out if he becomes elite [again], or if he continues to be good.”
You might recall that the Phillies first baseman wore a wore a T-shirt that said “Not elite,” an image that went viral on social media over the holidays. That indicated that Harper was indeed affected by the Phillies president’s comments.
On Sunday in Clearwater, Fla., Harper got a chance to address the issue ahead of the Phillies’ first full-squad workout of spring training today. “For Dave to come out and say those things, it’s kind of wild to me still,” Harper said.
“The big thing for me was, when we first met with this organization [in 2019] it was, ‘Hey, we’re always going to keep things in-house, and we expect you to do the same thing,’” he added. “So, when that didn’t happen, it kind of took me for a run a little bit. I don’t know.”
You don’t air your dirty laundry in public, right? So might Harper use Dombrowski’s critique as motivation? He says he’s plenty motivated on his own, but don’t be surprised if Harper channels all of this into an MVP-worthy season. Here’s more from Scott Lauber.
Harper also weighed in on the criticism these days of the Dodgers and their record-setting payroll. He points out that Los Angeles is doing plenty more right than just buying players — “they draft, they develop, they do it the right way.” In addition, he talked about the “juggernaut” that is the NL East, expectations for a few Phillies rookies, and more.
Released by the Phillies, outfielder Nick Castellanos signed a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres.
Did Nick Castellanos take a swipe at Rob Thomson? You decide.
Released last week, Castellanos signed a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres, but the Phillies will be paying the bulk of his $20 million salary.
Reporters talked to the outfielder Sunday at Padres camp in Peoria, Ariz., and Castellanos was effusive in his praise of new San Diego manager Craig Stammen, a 13-year veteran of the major leagues. “He’s a player. He’s done it,” Castellanos said. “He’s put on spikes. He’s grinded. He’s felt the feeling of success, and he’s also felt the feeling of when the game doesn’t go your way. There’s a lot of respect in that.”
The long and short of it: Tyrese Maxey is guarded by Victor Wembanyama of the World team during the NBA All-Star Game.
Now that Tyrese Maxwey knows what it takes to win the three-point shooting contest during NBA All-Star Weekend, the Sixers point guard says he’d like to try again. Maxey was eliminated after the first round Saturday night as Portland’s Damian Lillard captured the title.
Maxey had better luck in the All-Star Game, which actually was a three-team tournament. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was named MVP of the Stars team, which included Maxey and cruised to the championship.
Isabeau Levito is preparing to take Olympic ice for the first time.
Isabeau Levito’s Olympic chance is here at last and the 18-year-old skater from South Jersey says she wants to enjoy every minute at the Milan and Cortina Winter Games. “And obviously skating my best,” she says, “but I can already feel like I will. So that’s really what I’m really striving for.” Ellen Dunkel profiles Levito as she prepares for the short program on Tuesday.
The lights at Subaru Park will be on once again as the Union embark on the 2026 season beginning Wednesday. The club’s first home game will arrive in Concacaf Champions Cup play on Feb. 26.
The Union are set to begin their 2026 season on Wednesday with a Concacaf Champions Cup match at Defence Force F.C. in Port of Spain, Trinidad (6 p.m., FS2).
Goalkeeper Andre Blake is beginning his 13th season with the Union. He has to be wondering whether he’ll ever win a title here or make the World Cup with Jamaica.
The Union showed off their “world-class facility” in Chester last week in a tournament featuring some top soccer academies from Europe.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (left) and A.J. Brown talk in 2024, happier times.
NFL sources say the Eagles are considering trading receiver A.J. Brown, even though such a trade would carry severe salary-cap ramifications; about $16 million, minimum.
Trading him would be crazy.
The Eagles should not even entertain offers for Brown. He is 28. He is driven. He is dedicated. He is irreplaceable. He’s spent the last four years making quarterback Jalen Hurts look good. That’s got to count for something. More from Marcus Hayes.
Sports snapshot
Temple Owls guard Jordan Mason looks for a call from an official during a loss Sunday at home.
The late Joe Frazier at his gym on North Broad Street.
Feb. 16, 1970: Smokin’ Joe Frazier won the world heavyweight title with a fifth-round knockout of Jimmy Ellis at Madison Square Garden in New York.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Gina Mizell, Ellen Dunkel, Marcus Hayes, Jonathan Tannenwald, Owen Hewitt, Ryan Mack, and Matt Breen.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Thanks for reading Sports Daily. I’ll see you in Tuesday’s newsletter. — Jim
At 3, she had watched the 2010 Winter Games on TV and was charmed by the figure skating, mimicking Coatesville native Johnny Weir’s movements on the screen. Her mother, Chiara Garberi, thought they’d try skating and brought her to the Igloo Ice Rink in Mount Laurel. Levito quickly took to it.
The next year, she skated in her first event, the Philadelphia Areas Figure Skating Competition. She won. It was the first of many victories as she moved up the levels.
About five years ago, the 2023 U.S. champion said, it all came into focus. The Olympics could be a reality, and the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina could be her Games.
With Italy in her sights, both of her programs this year were set to Italian music. The short is to a compilation of sassy songs from Sophia Loren movies. The free skate, or long program, is to “Cinema Paradiso” by Ennio Morricone.
In January, at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, that goal became a reality. She skated two clean programs with her signature beautiful footwork and spins and won the bronze medal.
“Isabeau Levito is the skater in the snow globe,” NBC commentator and 1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski said on the Today show.
“The Olympics is [always] in the back of your mind,” Levito said last month. “Because, technically, everything gets you there — slowly. But the next stop is actually the Olympics. It’s insane.”
Not that she has any plans to retire after this season. Levito said she already is looking forward to the offseason, when she can work on some of the hardest jumps. This season was all about consistency and her best elements.
But as she grew up, these Olympics seemed like the Games to aim for. Her mother grew up in Milan. Her grandmother and other relatives still live there. She knew she would be 18 and would have a few years as a senior competitor under her belt.
Except for some minor bumps in the plans, including an injury that took her out for much of last season, Levito’s timeline worked out. All along the way, her elegant skating earned her medals at almost every important event leading up to this month’s Olympics.
Born in Philadelphia, Levito grew up in Mount Holly and now lives closer to the rink in Mount Laurel, which has been her second home for nearly her entire life.
She was named after Michelle Pfeiffer’s character in Ladyhawke, her mother’s favorite movie.
“As a young, young kid, I was like, ‘Why is this my name?’” Levito said. “I always have to explain it.”
The pronunciation is “ease-a-bow,” Levito said, but she’s fine with people calling her “izz-a-bow.”
Isabeau Levito’s programs this season are set to Italian music, a nod to the Olympics’ location and her mother’s homeland.
She never had to move away from South Jersey to train (“We love Wawa” and she doesn’t love pumping gas, she told Team USA).
She has had the same coach — Yulia Kuznetsova — the whole time. She also works with Kuznetsova’s husband, Slava Kuznetsov, as well as Otar Japaridze, a former Georgian ice dancer, who competed in those 2010 Olympics that caught Levito’s attention. (Japaridze‘s partner was Allison Reed, who now skates with Saulius Ambrulevicius and finished sixth in ice dance, representing Lithuania.)
“I have a really, really good coaching team,” Levito said, “they kind of hit all the spots with me, and I’ve been working with them since the very beginning. I feel like they made me such a well-rounded skater.”
South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito skates after being named an Olympian at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis.
In 2020, she was one of the top two skaters in the eastern sectional at the novice level, so she was invited to skate in juniors at nationals. Most skaters who do that don’t place and need to change their programs midseason to accommodate different requirements. But Levito earned silver that year as well.
After that, she competed as a senior. Her first year, she earned the bronze medal at nationals but, at 14, was too young to make the Olympic team. (That year, both of her 2026 Olympic teammates had to sit out nationals because they had COVID-19. Alysa Liu already was a two-time national champion, so she made the team anyway. Amber Glenn had been the silver medalist the year before, but she was not chosen.)
Over the years, she won six Grand Prix series medals, including the silver at the Grand Prix Final in 2022 and the gold at the Grand Prix of France in 2023. She also was the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships silver medalist.
When she’s not on the ice, she’s decorating her apartment, reading, crocheting, bedazzling her makeup cases, and taking care of her cat.
“I wouldn’t want to do [college] online,” Levito said last March. “I would want to go in person.”
But the run-up to the Olympics has been extra busy.
“I‘m aware that if I want to go to university next year, I need to do the SATs, the college admissions,” she said in December. “So it makes me think that maybe I might wait another year.”
But first comes her Olympic debut. There is talk that the U.S. women — who named themselves Blade Angels — could sweep the podium.
The three are good friends. In December, Liu called Levito “the wittiest person I ever met.”
Glenn is the three-time U.S. champion and 2024 Grand Prix Final champion. Along with her two national wins, Liu is the reigning world and Grand Prix Final champion.
But they’re not the only stars. The Japanese team includes three-time world champion and 2022 Olympic bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto. Her two teammates also are serious contenders.
Another contender is Adeliia Petrosian, from Russia, who is the only woman competing who is likely to attempt quadruple jumps.
“And obviously skating my best,” she said, “but I can already feel like I will. So that’s really what I’m really striving for.”
How to watch
Women’s short program: Tuesday, Groups 1 and 2, 12:45 p.m. on USA and Peacock. Groups 3, 4, and 5, 2:40 p.m. on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) and Peacock. (Levito will skate in Group 4 or 5.)
Women’s free skate: Thursday, 1 p.m., on NBC and Peacock, 1:30 p.m. on USA.
